The greatest movie sword fight: Tyrone Power VS. Basil Rathbone

Basil Rathbone crossed screen swords with both Tyrone Power and Errol Flynn. Basil was one of the best swordsmen of the era. His sword fight with Tyrone Power was simply magnificant.
He once commented that Tyrone Power could fence Errol Flynn into a cocked hat.
_______________________
I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.
 
WATCHDOG said:
Rathbone was the best Holmes, in my opinion, and remained so even though Universal Studios insisted on moving Holmes and Watson into the 20th Century to outwit Nazis in WWII.

1939's The Hound of the Baskervilles shows Rathbone and Bruce at their best as Holmes and Watson.
Click to expand...

Check out the TV series starring Jeremy Brett as Holmes. I think his portrayal is unsurpassed. And even though Watson is portrayed by two different actors across the series, the character comes across very well and not as the bumbler usually portrayed.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (TV Series 1984

The Return of Sherlock Holmes (TV Series 1986

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (TV Series 1994
 
In recent films, my favorite sword fighter/actor is Adrian Paul. He has studied martial arts for many years, including the sword. Most actors who do sword fights move much more slowly than a martial artist, and are therefore not as believable.

For the best sword fights, pick one where *both* actors are skilled martial artists.
 
BAM-BAM said:
How about the sword fight in "The Raiders of the Lost Ark".........

Which actually proved the old adage.....


"Never bring a knife to a gun fight!!!!"

LOL

Edit: Note to self........ read all posts before posting!!!!!

:D
Click to expand...
I think Harrison Ford was sick the day they filmed that and it was his idea to shoot the guy.
 
Last edited:
model3sw said:
Sorry, guys ... IMHO ... The Adventures of Robin Hood, 1938, sword fight between Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone is "the" cinematic sword fight masterpiece to which all other should be compared.

Adding to the adventure and heightened viewer awareness of being completely drawn into the fight, Michael Curtiz's use of light and shadows is a testimony to cinema art at its finest.

Flynn and Rathbone the quintessential good vs. evil, the hero fighting for right, justice, and protecting the poor and innocent. This is the sword fight sequence, "par excellence", all the way from the beginning, the winding stone staircase, the disadvantage, losing the sword that the bad guy prevents the hero from retrieving while the hero very chivalrously allows the bad guy to retrieve his sword when dropped.

Then, of course, when the hero is nicked with the bad guy's blade we all know how it will end even though the bad guy is reaching for his dagger during close contact in what is supposed to be a "fair" fight.

Beside that ... NO stunt doubles or stand ins. Flynn and Rathbone really did the entire scene, albeit, was likely in several takes edited together.

Not even Douglas Fairbanks had done it better although much was borrowed form Faribanks personna for this scene.
Click to expand...


Glad someone mentioned Flynn and that scene, it will not be bested, tied maybe but, never bested. However, any swordfight scene with Cornel Wilde in it. Before he acted, he was a fencing master. Check him out in: The Scarlet Coat, Bandit of Sherwood and At Swords Point.
 
Last edited:
I saw this as a quote from Rathbone:

"The only actor I actually fought with on the screen was Flynn, and that's the only time I was really scared. I wasn't scared because he was careless but because he didn't know how to protect himself" (quoted in Castle of Frankenstein, 1969 issue, pages 31-32).
Click to expand...

Source: Basil Rathbone Biography
 
I enjoyed the clip

But I want to know

How long would a real sword fight last till someone got stuck or slashed real bad
 
Tyrone Power's fencing skills were not an accident. His mother was a Women's Fencing Champion and no doubt she instructed her son fairly extensively.

He (Rathbone) once commented that Tyrone Power could fence Errol Flynn into a cocked hat.
Click to expand...

He also commented that Power was the quickest and most agile man with a sword he'd ever seen.

Bruce
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

LVSteve
Another of the greatest generation falls
Replies
5
Views
422
rwsmith
rwsmith
ACORN
Tyson vs Paul fight tonight!
2 3 4
Replies
63
Views
2K
fiasconva
fiasconva
lihpster
Anyone watching the fight?
Replies
2
Views
272
Rudi
R
Xfuzz
"Rust"...movie on amazon.
2 3
Replies
40
Views
1K
robertrwalsh
robertrwalsh
lihpster
It's only a movie. It's only a movie.
2 3
Replies
44
Views
1K
lihpster
lihpster

Latest posts

Back
Top